Epidemiology of Rabies in Southeast Europe Nicholas Johnson Rabies and Wildlife Zoonoses Group WHO Collaborating Centre for the Characterization of Rabies and Rabies-Related Viruses
Introduction Rabies is endemic within many countries of south east Europe The fox is the principal reservoir species but dog rabies cases still reported Few epidemiological studies reported from the region Identify factors that contribute to epidemiology Lack of knowledge hampers vaccination programmes
Southeast Europe (the Balkans)
The Balkan Peninsular Poland Russia Czech Republic Ukraine Slovakia Austria Hungary Slovenia Romania Croatia Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbia Bulgaria Mac Albania Greece Turkey
Cohort Details Country (Cases 2005) Fox Dog Jackal Human Other Not recorded [Total] Bosnia-Herzegovina (36) 10 3 4 17 Bulgaria (8) 5 2 1 12 Georgia Serbia & Montenegro (101) Hungary (9) Poland (138) Romania (530) 9 Russia (3087) Slovak Republic (50) Turkey (193) 7 21 75
Isolate details Code No. Country Region Species Year Genbank Accession Number 5 Bulgaria Lovech Fox 2003 DQ300293 1279 Romania Iolomita ? - RV1124 Turkey Manisa 2000 AY091610
Region of the Genome N P M G L 327 nucleotides TTATCGTGGATCAATATGAGTACAAGTACCCTGCCATCAAAGATTTGAAAAAGCCCTGTATAACTCTAGGAAAGGCTCCC GATTTAAATAAAGCATACAAGTCAGTTTTATCATGCATGAGCGCCGCCAAACTTGATCCTGACGATGTATGTTCCTATTT GGCGGCGGCAATGCAGTTTTTTGAGGGGACATGTCCGGAAGACTGGACCAGCTATGGAATCGTGATTGCACGAAAAGGAG ATAAGATCACCCCAGGTTCTCTGGTGGAGATAAAACGTACTGATGTAGAAGGGAATTGGGCTCTGACAGGAGGCATGGAA CTGACAAGAGACCCCAC
Phylogenetic analysis of RABV sequences from Southeastern Europe Bulgaria SAD B19 Eastern Turkey Pasteur Romania Western Turkey Romania / Russia Bosnia-Herzegovina
Phylogenetic tree of Eastern European Isolates Central Romania Wave 1: Western Turkey Western Turkey Bosnia-Herzegovina Outgroup Bulgaria * Eastern Romania / Russia 0.01 substitutions / site * Bootstrap values > 700
Romania Romania / Russia Romania / Poland
Bulgaria Targovishte Dobrich Lovech Montana Pleven Lovech Former Yugoslavia Vidin Montana
Bosnia-Herzegovina Bosnia-Herzegovina Hungary
Conclusions Most isolates fall into the East European group of viruses Geography dominates isolate clustering Topography may play a significant role in preventing spread of fox-rabies The Danube appears to block movement between Romania and Bulgaria Such factors could assist in future vaccination campaigns
Acknowledgements Co-Authors Veterinary Laboratories Agency (UK) AR Fooks FLI-Wusterhausen (Germany) T Muller, C Freuling IDT (Germany) A Vos Etlik CVRI (Turkey) O Aylan H Un Natl. Diag. & Res Vet Inst (Bulgaria) R Valtchovski Inst. Diag. & Animal Health (Romania) M Turcitu F Dumistrescu V Vlad Univ. Sarajevo (Bosnia-Hervegovina) R Velic Vet. Inst. Of Republika of Srpska V Sandrac Funding Defra (UK)